Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid During Your Commercial Fit-Out

Renovating a commercial space is exciting and often complex and challenging at the same time.

Whether it is an office, restaurant or an F&B space - you need it to work, serve its purpose and look absolutely stunning. For that to happen, you need to plan everything carefully.

There are several mistakes that businesses make that complicate and make the fit-out project more costly and time-consuming than it needs to be. Knowing what these mistakes are will help you prevent them from happening. Avoiding these mistakes will result in a project that runs smoothly, is on time and stays on budget too.

Below are 5 common commercial fit-out mistakes and how to avoid them when renovating your commercial space.

1. Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

As the title suggests, if you are going to try and wing it, it will almost certainly cause you issues somewhere along the line. It’s not just about how things are to be done, or how much money can be set aside or used for what. You also need to consider how your business functions whilst work is ongoing, can you continue to work around the fit out, if not how much is temporary office space going to cost, if not official then how many coffees per employee to work in a coffee shop and for how long. What other unique requirements do you have? Plan for them all.

Many businesses make the mistake of skimping on the details. This can cause problems later because giving contractors license to interpret can lead to issues. Make it clear. Ensure that your plan is definitively divided into sections, how you would like things arranged, how everything should be managed, what your brand should look like and every other detail that matters to you. If you are struggling with a comprehensive plan, bring other people from the business in. Get third and fourth party inputs if necessary. But then make a decision and plan accordingly.

2. Picking the Wrong Contractor

When picking a contractor you are effectively picking a partner. It’s crucial to pay a lot of attention to the selection process and ensure you get the most appropriate fit-out contractor for the job. A good contractor should have a lot to say concerning the overall fit-out, the time lines and also be very realistic with budgetary requirements as well. Sometimes you as the client need to hear that your expectations are just not realistic. And then listen to the suggested approaches to get what you want working within your budget.

Selecting a contractor who is professional but you don’t resonate with could become an issue. When there are issues with communication or misunderstandings due to personality clashes, issues can arise. Delays, rising costs and attention to detail can all result. To avoid this, you need to look for a qualified and industry-specific fit-out contractor in Riyadh. You need to check their references and review their portfolio, speak with past clients, and have some in-depth conversations from the outset to really find out whether or not this partnership is destined to fail, or could be the perfect union to turn your vision into reality.

3. Not Paying Attention to Acoustics

It’s an often overlooked element of a fit out. Unfortunately it’s often considered when it’s ‘too late’. By which we mean, there is nothing that can be done to remedy the situation. Or if there is, it has a hefty price tag attached to it. If an office space is too noisy, it can be hard for people to work or concentrate. This can negatively impact both workers and customers. Workspace management and careful material selection can help here. Knowing that you have a large open space that you want to keep open-plan for your employees means planning the layout to allow for quiet concentration as well as an energetic sales atmosphere. Use special wall panels, carpets and soft furnishings to make a place quieter. And plan the seating, desk arrangement to push sound into specific areas of the office. Being mindful of this from the outset is key.

4. Not Investing in Quality Materials

Keeping to a budget and not overspending is a given. A budget is a budget for a reason. More often than not, there just isn’t any more money available, so it has to be adhered to. To do this, saving at any juncture seems like a good idea. And cutting costs on material is often where amendments are made. However, this often costs more in the long run as lower-quality materials can wear out faster, don't look as good and might need to be fixed or replaced more often. Using quality materials not only gives your commercial space a professional appearance, they last longer and usually require less maintenance. It’s also important to stress that quality doesn’t always mean expensive!!

When you're planning how much money to spend, budget for the best quality materials and skilled workmanship you can afford, don’t skimp. For further insight into the whole process, head over to our blog post here to understand fit-out estimates and how to better allocate your budget from the outset. (hyperlink the blog -Understanding Fit-Out Contractor Estimates: What They Mean and How to Read Them)

5. Not Considering Employees and Customer Needs

The most effective fit-outs ensure both workers and customers are happy with the space. Businesses sometimes focus too much on aesthetics over function. They forget to think about what their people really need. It’s sales 101 but put yourself in their shoes. And then consider what they really need versus what they think they want.

For employees, this means making sure they have comfortable focused places to work. Ergonomic workstations, adequate breakout spaces and good indoor air quality rank highly on the wish list. For customers, it's important to make sure they feel welcomed, are able to easily navigate the space and, depending on your niche, show that you are successful but not frivolous and make a good first impression.

It's essential to talk to employees especially when considering an office fit-out. They can tell you what they like and think they need. This helps point you in the direction of what would make sense functionally and then add your creative flair.

Bottom Line

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